Thursday, 13 September 2012

The new pope of The Coptic
Orthodox Church will be chosen on 2 December 2012 as announced by the Holy
Synod and Nominations Committee on Wednesday 12 September 2012. The official
list of Papal nominees and final dates that will bring the Papal selection
process to a close was also announced.

The Holy Synod and Nominations
Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church have announced that the new pope to
succeed His Holiness the late Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria
and Patriarch of All Africa on the holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, will be
chosen on 2 December 2012. Pope Shenouda III departed on 17th March 2012 after
forty-one years of papacy.

The Papal Selection Timeline as
announced on Wednesday 12 September 2012 is as follows:

14 September- Final papal nominations announced by nominations committee

2 December - Liturgical service at the Grand Cathedral of St Mark in which the Altar Ballot will take place and the new pope will be chosen.

The Nominations Committee will formally issue the final list of Papal Candidates on Friday 14 September, and they
are:

Metropolitan Bishoy of
Damietta

Bishop Youannes

Bishop Rafael

Bishop Pafnotious of
Samalout

Bishop Boutros

Bishop Tawadros

Bishop Kyrollos of
Milan

Father Rafael Ava-Mina

Father Maximos
El-Antony

Father Shenouda
Anba-Bishoy

Father Pakhomious
El-Souriany

Father Daniel
El-Souriani

Father Anastasi
El-Samuel

Father Bishoy
Anba-Paula

Father Saweris
Anba-Paula

Father Seraphim
El-Souriany

Father Pigol
Anba-Bishoy

His Grace Bishop Angaelos,
General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom who has
issued a detailed explanation of the papal selection process said:

“The papal selection process, albeit lengthy, has
been carried out thus far with integrity, transparency and inclusion of the broad
spectrum of the Coptic Orthodox Church both inside and outside Egypt. As we
approach the selection of the new pope, we are confident that this process has
been carried out for centuries, and is not merely based on democratic election,
but primarily on a collective prayerfulness and faith in God’s choice.”